Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $344 per month in Malindi vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $574 per month in Malindi vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $804 per month in Malindi vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malindi is about 60% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malindi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 74% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 KES 283

$1.94 ฿63.5

12.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.16 KES 4,037

$18.64 ฿609

67.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KES 205

$0.85 ฿27.77

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.35 ฿11.58

154.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 KES 441

$2.13 ฿69.6

59.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 KES 460

$3.73 ฿122

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$1.71 ฿56.0

-46.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$1.14 ฿37.15

11.40%

Eggs

$2.98 KES 387

$1.93 ฿63.1

54.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,496

$16.21 ฿530

-28.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 799

$3.12 ฿102

97.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 KES 659

$10.90 ฿356

-53.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 412

$2.75 ฿90.0

15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.21 ฿39.52

-34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 KES 359

$1.62 ฿53.0

70.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.8

$1.59 ฿51.8

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 KES 105

$1.40 ฿45.70

-42.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 86.1

$1.17 ฿38.17

-43.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.5

$0.53 ฿17.22

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 KES 183

$1.27 ฿41.58

11.02%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K ฿694.9K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.2K ฿725.4K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$77.3 KES 10.0K

$69.1 ฿2,256

11.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.08 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 KES 4,049

$18.00 ฿588

73.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.10 KES 4,935

$41.06 ฿1,341

-7.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 KES 49.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

-52.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Malindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Malindi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Malindi vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Malindi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Malindi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $516 per month in Malindi and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $344 in Malindi and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $344 in Malindi and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $344 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.